Ladies pro riders, not many pics/stories

I couldn't help but notice while thumbing through some wake mags that the ladies don't get much press. Seems certain "photo issues" of mags only show the guys, not the girls.

Now I know there are more pro males than females, but it wouldn't hurt if the mags show a little more equal time for the ladies. They may not go as big as the guys or have the same bag of tricks, but they still looks good behind a boat!

Here is a couple while your waiting for the mag's to step up.

Reaquel Hoffman

I agree. And those shots of Raequel are money.

Who took those?

J-Rod I took them last summer, I have some good ones of Shawna also that I can't find right now

Dave, I agree as well. That's my wife's major complaint too. The wake mags don't show too many female riders. They don't get enough press or photos. It's just the same old dudes and mainly focused on the riders in the east side. I've already canceled my subscription.

the second picture would be great to do some photo shopping with on the rocks in the background to spell her name... already there is a rock that looks quite like an "R"

Here you go Dave.

This site definitely delivers with more attention to the ladies than the mags. Nice reading about their achievements and seeing the pics on here, as always. Just wish the mags would cover them more often, that's all.

I agree that girls need more representation in the magazines and videos. but they should not just be given to them because they are girls. girls have been stepping it up a lot more resently and it is awesome. the girls that have been stepping it up are getting into the mags. a couple issues back mellisa marquadt had a big arctile in alliance and amber wing has been getting a lot of attention.


im not to into the wakeboard scene, but in the female wakeskate scene a lot of girls are just not representing the sport right. Girls are calling themselves "pro" because they have some tricks. but if you watch them ride they get no higher then 3 inches off the water. their shuvs are spun on the water and w2ws are cased. it seems as if these "pros" are just trying to learn as many tricks as fast as possible and not worried about if it is done properly or off the water. i was pumped but disappointed in the wakeskating in the chick flick at the same time. girls have equal ability and there should be no handicap. that is not deserving of coverage in my opinion.

there are girls stepping it up from what ive heard and seen on wakeskating.com and the future is looking brighter.

ive taught a lot of girls how to wakeskate these past few years and it is so great to see diversity in these sports.
watching girls ride pumps me up so much. The hoffmans inspire me everytime i see them hit a rail or shred the wake and melissa marquadt's style sets her apart and brings a smile to my face.


i know there are going to be people who agree with me but are afraid to.
i just want to see these sports grow in a progressive way and be represented right especially if these people consider themselves pro.

i'm not afraid to say i agree with everything you said as far as not givin handouts and being inspired by more progressive female riding all around.

I wish I rode as good as these girls!!!! Heck half as good.

I will start off by saying, I think Amber Wing is an AMAZING wakeboarder (guy or girl) but she has to stop grabbing nuclear. She always leaves her legs completely extended and it looks terrible. On that note we should all join WANG. No I am not a pervert, it is Wakeboarders Against Nuclear Grabbing LOL

Why should she not grab nuclear if grabbing nuclear makes wakeboarding more fun for her?

Because Alliance and/or Jeff McKee said so?

I'd say WANG pretty much sums up who's in the "club." ;)

yeah extended legs looks cool to me, like a indy stiffy or whatever. haha

screw that when people tell you what is "cool"

I didn't know McKee said that but like I said, I think she is an amazing wakeboarder. I just really hate how she doesnt bend her knees when grabbing nuclear. Her Nuc toeside backrolls look terrible. Look how much style she has on that tail grab, it is sick. I was just saying stick to what works

it works for her. i'm sure she'd be the last person to tell you how YOU should ride.

Sorry to pick on you again Kyle but your most recent post comes off as pretty dang arrogant. You dictate what is style and what isn't? Pic #3 of her shows "style" and #1 doesn't? I didn't know that was the definition of "style."

I'd imagine she could bend her knees if she wanted. I'd imagine she could do grabbed backrolls differently if she wanted. Do you think she's having a good time though? Have you grabbed like she's grabbed and know for a fact that it decreases the amount of fun she's having on the water? Is wakeboarding about having fun or having what certain people have deemed "style" aka "legit"?

I know Joe, but she is a pro and being in the spotlight, they get criticism sometimes. Like i said before AGAIN, think she is an amazing rider, and the best female rider in the world. I don't think there are any flaws in her riding except for tricks she grabs nuclear. That picture isn't the first time I have seen her grab nuclear, she does the exact same thing on her nuclear toeside backrolls.

Josh, chill dude. When did i say she isn't having a good time, I think she rips and is one of the only pro women that i would say is better than me. I give her credit where credit is due, but like I said, she is a professional and as a pro, they get criticized. I clearly have hit a sore spot for you. I'm not going to take back what I said, this is a public forum to discuss wakeboarding and I am just giving my opinion

harf grabs his toe back nuke.
soven grabs his toe back nuke.
shane grabs his toe back nuke.

the difference is that those guys grab nuke w/ their knees bent. more stylish? maybe. but the degree of difficulty is definitely higher w/ you knees locked. try it.

Joe, i definitely agree that for us "normal flexibility folk" the degree of difficulty of grabbing knees locked is tough but for her i don't think it really matters because she is so flexible. I would have to do yoga for a year to be able to even come close to grabbing knees locked lol. I saw Amber ride 3 or so years ago for the first time at the gravel tour and just remember thinking, DAMN WHY ISNT SHE WINNING THE PRO TOUR, and then she blew up. She is the most talented girl in the world right now

That's cool. I'm just giving my opinion too. It definitely irks me when people rip on other people's tricks or style.

I know you didn't say she wasn't having fun but, imo, fun (which could defintitely include coming up with your own style as Ms. Wing is doing) is better than conforming to other people's idea of style. Regardless of whether the rider is a pro or not.

I think it's pretty dang respectable that she'd ride that way, especially if other extremely good wakeboarders (such as yourself and the folks at Alliance) bag on it.

So ya, we disagree, that's what the internet's for.

Josh, Internet Hug it Out? lol

Haha! For sure!

If you're ever in Az and want a pull (PS205 or 88Ski Nautique) give me a holler!

I might be about to get blasted. However, I agree that female "pro" wakeskate leaves much to be desired. It seems to me that they determine who is "pro" by whoever happens to show up, sign up and pay the tourney fee.

Moreover, I think the "pro" females need to show some more of their feminine side (interpretation: they need to wear bikinis, not board shorts, etc.) They simply are not as good as the men and I think that in order to get the sponsorships/money/recognition this is what needs to happen. Like in womens beach volleyball. Or even indoor vball. Feel free to hate, but this is the world we live in. Or maybe I am just an old perv. Which is highly probable.

Brian, I don't think guys would argue that seeing ladies in bikinis is attractive, but IMO, I'd rather see a girl who rips wearing boardshorts than I would wearing a bikini. It looks lame, IMO, when girls are riding wearing a vest and a bikini..and what about those inevitable enema crashes...I think boardshorts on my girl are sexy and practical...just because she wears boardshorts doesn't mean she can't wear a bikini top. Shwiiing!

it makes my day every time i see a fine @ss chic rockin a bikini bottoms on the board...

hahahha...

I leave the logistics up to the girls. Maybe they could wear those "boy shorts?" There has to be some improvement over boardshorts that hang down below your knees, esp. when wet. If you add the helmet and vest, it looks like a young boy out there, not a girl. And nobody wants to watch girls that are dressed as guys do "sub par" tricks. Disclaimer: by subpar I mean the tricks are just not up to the level of the guys. Girls could at least wear bikinis or bathing suits on the dock, etc. I'm just saying, if they want more recognition they need to provide something that the men are not, b/c they can't compete with the trick list. And by the way, every pro girl wboarder is way better then me.

valid statements about the level of tricks... but i know i dont wakeboard so guys can watch me in a bikini.... i do it because i love it

Fair enough Maggie, and I'm sure many young ladies share your opinion. However, if your goal was to be in magazines and gets sponsors I think that my argument has some merit. A great example, although not a wakeboarder, would be Gabrielle Reece, the womens vball player. She used her sexuality to elevate her and the sport in a classy way. You might be too young to remember her!

I guess you could say that I am not aiming to be in the magz...

Perhaps a board skirt instead of board shorts?

Brian - I'd like to see you in a bikini bottom take a digger and see where it goes. Let me know how that turns out - a picture would be nice.

I fully understand the anatomical issues. The original poster was commenting on how ladies don't get equal time in the mags. They can not compete on a trick level, so I suggested what I thought would help IFF you wanted to be in a mag or get sponsored. You don't and I don't. I don't think anyone on here wants to see a pic of me like that, but if you send me your email I'd be happy to send you some pics just for you! ;)

Thanks Brian. My email is ilikehairybutts@att.com ;)

As far as photos in mags go, what I find interesting is that they print photos of guys doing W2W BS 180s or other stylie but not exactly technical tricks. If I see another photo of a guy "slayshing" I'm going to gag. Some of those scenic-type photos could have women in them.

Do girls simply not get invited to photo shoots? Or perhaps they don't market themselves as much as the guys do? I figure women might be 10% of the market. 10% of the photos in mags are certainly not women (unless you count the ubiquitous Reef ad).

The other issue is that, unfortunately, I think it is more of a "guys" sport, as most "extreme" and boardsports seem to be. So, dudes purchase most of the stuff so mags market to them more.

And my gf waxes my arse, so sorry to dissapoint!!

I compare it to Beach Volleyball. Who would you rather see, the Men or Women?

cause guys are better then girls

"If I see another photo of a guy "slayshing" I'm going to gag. Some of those scenic-type photos could have women in them."

That's funny! Good point.


BTW, it's obvious that the purpose of women should be solely to cater to the whims and desires of men, er, boys... So you ladies either allow us guys to make your decisions for you about what is appropriate for you to do and for you to wear, and if you don't like it, then get back in the kitchen and make us some sandwiches! Burp!!!

you guys are crazy if you think that the only way wemon will get shots is to be sexy. that would set them back even further. lame.

quote "Here is a couple while your waiting for the mag's to step up."
i think its the mags who are waiting for the girls to step it up.

the point about the slashes makes a lot of sense. but i think those shots are more about the photo then the rider though.

i sense a lot of progression going down in wemon's wakeboarding for 2008.

"slayshing" pics are sick, especially sunset ones. most photogs love "slayshing" pics.

as for only doing w2w bs 180s, there's a whole point to those pics...cause they look good! technical tricks just do NOT look good, unless you're doing sequence pics. even then, they just don't look good in print at all. that's what videos are for.

grabs = photos
tech tricks = videos

oh, and you'd be foolish to think that the women don't market themselves. unfortunately for them, not many companies step up.

mitch, what's "wemon"?

sorry joe, i fail

Again, I enjoy seeing "stylie" trick photos - slayshing is not a skill. Sure, there is some skill in capturing it on the photographer's side but as far as the sport goes anyone can spray water. BO-RING! At least print a boring photo with a woman in it...

So Joe, you blame women not being printed in magazines on the companies? Which companies, their sponsors or the publishers?

more pictures

...from Lymans interview on LF.com

Any stupid human tricks we should know about? "STUPID HUMAN TRICKS? I CAN HOLD MY LEFT FOOT WITH MY RIGHT HAND AND JUMP THROUGH IN WITH MY RIGHT LEG. BUT THE REAL TRICK IS THAT I CAN JUMP BACK THROUGH IT.....THATS RIGHT FRONT TO BACK. AWESOMENESS I KNOW. AND I CAN DO SOME PRETY STUPID HUMAN TRICKS ON MY WAKEBOARD, LIKE A NUCLEAR GLIDE OR A NUCLEAR TANTRUM TO BLIND THATS PRETTY STUPID IF YOU ASK ME, THATS WHY I DONT DO THEM ANYMORE....••••• WEAK" - Keith Lyman

Lyman pretty much sums up the nuke grab in this quote. Its gay. Why make yourself look like a contorted pretzel? Grab in between your legs, things are more symmetrical that way.

i agree with magi, girls shouldn't just get pics in magazines because of their anatomical features. theres this company, that is looking to start up, and theyre looking to sponsor people. it says they sponsor wake, snow, skate, mx, fmx, and hot women. ...hah...wemon.

?

whats slashing

Number of pics of female riders in magazines and videos is directly proportional to how much product they sell-
When girls outnumber guys as representative of any sport they then get thier share of the press. Simple American economics-

honestly i dont think i have met a girl that complains... at least im not complaining.. id rather watch guys ride then girls... hahaha :-p

I would like to see it be some what 50/50. Its cool for me as a girl rider to see what the women can do. It gives me inspriation. One thing that has really done that is the Chick FLick. It shows that girls can ride and ride good. That we are comming up in the sport more and more. NO matter if it is a girl going out having a good time. No matter what her riding ability is that she is out there trying gives me motivation. It drives me nuts when people look at me and when I tell them I ride and give me a dirty look.

Pro women wakeboarders ride better than 95% or more of men riders out there. I don't think that lack of skill is the problem.

slayshing pics are lame (sorry joe)

nuclear grabs are fine with me even though some pros think they stink, probably the same pros that go slayshin

Almost all of the top pro tour riders grab Nuke in contests. If Lyman dosen't think there cool and dosen't want to do them it's his choice. If your a contest rider they score well, plain and simple.

Regards the Chick Flick, that was the first wake dvd I have bought in years. The guys at my shop thought I was crazy, I told them they must be gay to watch dudes.

I think nuke grabs are cool b/c they require more agility and flexibility; and I can not do one.

Pro women riders should ride better then most guys, but have you ever watched a "pro" or national level female wakeskate comp? It's a lot like swimming.

Thats whats wrong randy.

Nukes dont particularly score well in contests, Its just all contest riders do them cause their easy. Thats the prob. Its way harder to grab stuff in between your legs. i.e. Ever seen Rusty or Super Phil grab a ts roll 2 blind between their legs? Dont worry, ill wait.


Thats what was cool about randy harris's qualifying run in ATL, he went out did his own thing and stomped everyone in his heat who did a "nuclear" grab.

I tried to describe the grab to a snowboarder the other day, first he laughed at the name and then he laughed at the trick. Its hard to demand respect from bigger board sport industries when you get this reaction u know?

As far as girls go, props on the progression. I remember when Amber Wing could hardly get boards from DoubleUp when she rode for them, now shes blown up!}

Im with randy on the Nuke grab thing, haha.
But not when both legs are extended, sorry.

"I tried to describe the grab to a snowboarder the other day, first he laughed at the name and then he laughed at the trick. Its hard to demand respect from bigger board sport industries when you get this reaction u know? "

JMHO - The minute you start riding to get "respect" from other sports is the minute you cease to be legit. Wakeboarding is wakeboarding. We do some really cool stuff out there, some of it looks like surfing, some of it looks like skating, some of it looks like snowboardiing, and some of it looks like nothing anyone else is doing. That doesn't make it any less cool or legit.

tackleberry, THANK YOU! i'm so sick of people with goals to make wakeboarding legit or wakeskating legit, or even demanding respect. just stfu and ride.

Ha, yea, why would you care what the snowboarder thinks? Quit wake and go snow if it's that important for you to fit in. Of course between the legs is harder, even though they have done it as well. People whine when a rider doesn't grab, then they whine about the grab, then they critique the grab a little more, legs are too bent, not bent, I would tweak it this way, oh but wait, in the initial argument it was about riding originally and grabbing stuff. How can you be original if everyone critiques each others' grabs? That will lose the "respect" of other board sports.

The straight fact is that for the longest time women have not been nearly as good as men, in style or tech tricks. They're starting to improve dramatically, and soon that will equal more coverage. Men look better when wakeboarding, and no Brian, there's no sexual tones there. You're a sexist jackass by the way.

Grabs, pokes, tweaks, and even nuclear grabs all help to give a rider their own particular style. With regards to a nuclear grab, I wish I could do one; they look very difficult. It has to be more difficult to grab nuclear stiffy than poked out; Look how twisted Amber is. I AM IMPRESSED! Even if it looks a bit odd. Have fun and express your style, whatever that might be.

Where's my sandwich?

oh shut up dococ!

long time no talk dude! hope all is well.

Girls are ripping at the moment.
They deserve every page of magazine coverage given.

...Have any of you guys seen the bonus section in the truth with the super slow-mo screen saver.
It has an Amber Wing Nuclear Toe side Backroll. It looks so so crazy. I love it.
It's up there with Shane Bonifays in 'Natural Born Thrillaz'

LOL

just wanted to throw some female rider perspective in there.... girls have started to rip more than ever over the last 3 years, and I have been stoked to be around and witness it.. maybe even be part of that progression. it makes me nervous knowing that girls younger than me do harder tricks than I do and it pushes me to continue to learn... as it does all the other girls (which i think is what has spawned this new age of women's riding). I'd love to see us getting more coverage in the mags, and the mags will always run girls stuff as long as it's legit and looks good. The simple fact of the matter is that girls just dont shoot nearly as often as guys do, and in the past many of the girls simply havent had good enough looking tricks to make it in the mags. but as all the girls are trying to gain more respect, the tricks are getting legit and shot more often. so hopefully we'll be seeing some more coverage soon!!!!

p.s. make sure and send those comments in to the people who can really do something about it... like Kevin Michael at WakeBoarding Mag and Garrett Cortese at Alliance!!!

here are pics of my favorite girl rippers

not bashing on the guy riders, cuz they're amazing, but it wasn't until i saw the chick flick and saw girls ride that i realized that it was really possible for girls to do this sport as hard core as the guys. plus, i've never had any guy pros walk up and just start talking to me at the boat show, but emily copeland did. not only that, i didn't realize who she was at first and she was showing me ALL kinds of boots, not just her line! so i don't know how the other female pros in the industry are, but she sure made a favorable impression on me for women riders. ditto the maven girls who were here this summer for the lesson, and as fun to watch riding as any guy!

Barrett, good points. I'll write my suggestions to the mags and hopefully you girls will get some more "press".